The Rustico Story
A proven concept; a stunning location; a site ready to rock n roll and, most importantly, a young restaurateur hungry for challenge…
Fundamental stars aligned back in 2016 when Vanessa Phillipson pulled the trigger on what was to become Rústico at Hay Shed Hill.
Unwittingly, it was the beginning of a Margaret River institution: a treasured destination for locals and one of the region’s go-to eateries for visitors from all over the world wanting a great, relaxed vineyard dining experience.
Paradoxically, Rústico at Hay Shed Hill in the heart of Wilyabrup, Margaret River’s most prestigious sub-region, had its genesis on the WA coast south of Perth at Rockingham Beach, back in 2010. That’s when Phillipson launched her very first restaurant, Rústico, on the Rockingham foreshore bringing to the table entrepreneurial drive, energy and a powerful belief that what she had in mind was exactly what the coastal town where she’d grown up needed.
And what she had in mind was a sociable coastal drinking space with accessible, Spanish-inspired food and true hospitality… A space that wasn’t a pub.
She nailed it, and 15 years on, under new owners, Rústico Rockingham continues to thrive.
But when the opportunity came in 2016 to recreate that spirit, vibe and energy of in a vineyard setting, taking over an existing cafe at Hay Shed Hill Wines in arguably the country’s best wine region (and one with a burgeoning tourism industry and visitation numbers growing every year) it proved a challenge Phillipson just couldn’t pass on.
With a core team in place of head chef Mike McAllister and restaurant manager John Barnes, this trio set about a tree-change destined to energise the local dining scene in a most significant way. Rústico at Hay Shed Hill opened in April 2016, and that same core management team continues today, having grown to become one of the region’s busiest, and most popular vineyard dining rooms and event destinations.
That same DNA still drives us and immodestly, we like to think we’ve refined and improved the offer at every point. However, the essentials of excellent, approachable Spanish-inspired food, a service team focused on customer experience, and a management ethos of user-friendliness and customer-centric ways of doing things, remain.
Rústico reflects Phillipson’s personal style of warmth and gregarious hospitality at every turn, be it a delicious, value-laden degustation-style five-course, 9-dish tasting menu, a less structured Freestyle Tapas carte, a great wine and beverage program built around the substantial Hay Shed Hill portfolio or the friendly smile and caring approach of every front-of-house person on the ever-expanding team.
And it’s fair to say the region has taken to Rústico in much the same way the Rústico team have taken to Margaret River: nearly 10 years on, that same core team drives this ever-expanding hospitality venture forwards.
Head chef Mike McAllister has been with Rústico/Phillipson almost 13 years, exploring his ongoing love of Spanish and Moorish flavours whilst in charge of a seriously busy kitchen. McAllister is loving life Down South. While restaurant manager John Barnes, who started as a casual waiter in the Rockingham restaurant back in 2014, moved down in 2016 to open Rústico at Hay Shed Hill and hasn’t looked back. His team embodies the down-to-earth, friendly yet professional “face” of Rústico .
Among the management team you’ll find an accumulated 60-plus years experience. This is rare continuity of personnel in the fickle world of restaurants, but indicative of a team culture at Rústico our customers “feel,” and benefit from, seven days a week.
In 2024, Phillipson sold her Rockingham restaurant to fully focus on new opportunities in wine country.
One is Rústicoq, a delicious heritage former bakehouse in Cowaramup stylishly renovated to create a distinctive four-bedroom/four ensuite guesthouse.
Another is The Rústico Ride, the region’s and possibly Australia's only dedicated single-restaurant transport service, providing a luxe alternative to guests who’d rather not drive. The synergies between this service, an expanding accommodation portfolio and Phillipson’s future plans are clear, and still to be fully realised.
Meantime the restaurant offer is continually refined; the decision to offer a weekdays a la carte menu – Freestyle Tapas - in addition to the substantial degustation signature has only broadened the flexibility of our restaurant and opened our tables up to a whole new audience. While the offer of three different wine pairing options – Classic, Premium or Dual (sampling across vintages and styles from the Hay Shed Hill portfolio) - provides almost unheard-of flexibility for a winery restaurant.
We’d like to think these are factors that contributed to Rústico at Hay Shed Hill winning the Tourism Restaurant category of the Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence for 2025. Restaurant and Catering is the peak body representing Australia’s restaurant, cafe and catering industry; its annual Awards for Excellence represent coveted recognition from industry peers.
It's part of a matrix that contributes to a unique experience. One that will, by the end of 2025, embrace more accommodation with the unique Rústico stamp and, ultimately, a very special heritage-listed events destination within the region we believe will create quite the stir.